Latest news with #ClionaWard
Sunday World
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Sunday World
Cliona Ward thanks family following her release from custody in US
She was detained by Immigration and Customs officers in April after returning from Ireland Cliona Ward has thanked her family following her release from custody in the United States earlier this month. The 54-year-old who is originally from Dublin, lives in Santa Cruz, California. She was arrested after she returned from visiting her dying father in Ireland in April. Ward was being detained by ICE over minor convictions from almost 20 years ago, which were supposed to have been expunged from her record. Cliona Ward News in 90 Seconds - May 27th She was released and told to report to San Francisco with proof of her expungement; however, when she got there, she was reapprehended, charged with moral turpitude and shipped to Washington. The mother remained behind bars in a detention facility until she was released earlier this month. Taking to a GoFundMe page, set up by her sister Orla Holladay, Cliona thanked her family for support and talked about her ordeal for the first time. "My warrior sister, defender of justice!!!! Could this be a calling for you? You dive in deep and figure out what to do next...I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me, and now continue to fight for justice served,' she wrote. "You know how to weave the strings together to provide due process for the people in ICE detention centres. "That is all they need.... They are not informed on how to get out and they are so afraid to speak up for the basic human how to find council or interpreter services... They give them detention handbooks in English and Spanish only,' she continued. "All done on purpose to keep them detained and deportable. I cannot thank you enough for what you did. "Everyone should have the opportunity to prove their innocence. If proven guilty, at least they had the opportunity to be heard. I must secure my status before diving deep, so thank you for being my voice for them. I love you so much, my Warrior, my defender, my sister, my anam cara,' she continued. "There is truly no one in the world like you, and I am truly blessed!" Orla previously told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that she is terrified Cliona was going to get lost in the system. 'She's afraid that she's going to get lost in the system. That was the one thing she said to me: 'Please don't let me get lost.' Orla explained that Cliona has been sober for almost 20 years, and currently works at a nonprofit Christian organisation teaching children. 'This has to do with a painful addiction, and she did everything she could do to change that,' said Holladay. 'She's a viable, valuable part of this community,' she said, describing her as a gentle, loving and private person.
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Cliona Ward: Irish woman held in US detention centre thanks ‘warrior' sister
Cliona Ward , who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for almost three weeks after returning from a visit to Ireland, has called her sister's efforts to get her out of jail 'warrior' like. Ms Ward (54), a green-card holder, who has been living legally in the United States for about 30 years, first ran into legal trouble in March after returning to the US from a trip to Ireland to visit her ill father in Youghal, Co Cork. The Irish woman, whose green card is valid until 2033, was detained and questioned by customs at the San Francisco airport on March 19th over her past criminal record. She was facing deportation by immigration officials. Her prior criminal record includes six cases - two felonies for possession of drugs in December 2007 and January 2008, and four misdemeanors. READ MORE She and her sister Orla Holladay, who also lives in the US, said her convictions were expunged, prompting customs to temporarily release her to obtain the appropriate documentation to prove her records had been cleared in California. [ US immigration judge rules Palestinian Columbia student Khalil can be deported Opens in new window ] When she went to plead her case at San Francisco airport to customs on April 21st and present proof of her expungement, she was detained again and told to argue her case in front of an immigration judge. The expungement had been carried out at a state, not federal, level. Ms Ward was released by a court in Seattle on May 7th after her original convictions were formally vacated so that they would be recognised at a federal level. In her first comments since her release, on a GoFundMe page set up by her sister during her detention, Ms Ward called Ms Holladay, 'my warrior, defender of justice. Could this be a calling for you?' While thanking Ms Holladay she also acknowledged the public's help, support and financial donations. Almost $50,000 was raised. 'I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me and now continue to fight for justice served,' Ms Ward said. [ Protest held as US judge arrested and charged with obstructing immigration operation Opens in new window ] 'Everyone should have the opportunity to prove their innocence. I love you so much my warrior, my defender, my sister, my anam cara. There is truly no one in the world like you and I am truly blessed!' Ms Ward said those who are being detained by ICE 'are not informed on how to get out and they are so afraid to speak up for the basic human rights ... like how to find council or interpreter services'. 'They [officials] give them detention handbooks in English and Spanish only. All done on purpose to keep them detained and deportable.' Ms Holladay, who is now looking after her sister following the release of her sister from jail, said previously Ms Ward had PTSD after her release.
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Cliona Ward lauds her 'warrior' sister's fight against the US immigration system
Cliona Ward, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for almost three weeks after returning from a visit to Ireland has described her sister's efforts to get her out of jail as 'warrior' like. Cliona Ward, 54, a green-card holder, who has been living legally there for around 30 years, first ran into legal trouble in March after arriving back in the US from a trip to Ireland to visit her ill father in Youghal, Co Cork. Ms Ward, whose green card is valid until 2033, was detained and questioned by customs at the San Francisco airport on March 19 over her past criminal record. She was facing deportation by immigration officials. Her prior criminal record includes six cases - two felonies for possession of drugs in December 2007 and January 2008, and four misdemeanours. She and her sister Orla Holladay, who also lives in the US, claimed her convictions were expunged, prompting customs to temporarily release her to obtain the appropriate documentation to prove that her records had been cleared in California. Campaigners gathered outside the detention centre, calling for the release of Cliona Ward. Picture: Facebook/iAmerica/SEIU2015 When she went to plead her case at San Francisco airport to customs on April 21 and present proof of her expungement, she was detained again and told to argue her case in front of an immigration judge. The expungement had been carried out at a state, not federal, level. Ms Ward was released by a court in Seattle on May 7 after her original convictions were formally vacated so that they would be recognised at a federal level. Her case has garnered huge media attention both here and in the US. Her detention was linked in many quarters to the Trump administration's new get-tough policies on immigration and border control which made Ms Ward and her family fear she would be held in detention for many months while waiting for her case to be processed by the US immigration system. In the aftermath of her release, US representative Jimmy Panetta said: "This case is an example of this administration doing the wrong thing when it comes to its over reaching deportation policies that can sweep up people like Cliona.' In her first comments since her release, on a Gofundme page, Cliona's Hope: A Mother's Fight for Freedom, Ms Ward called her sister 'my warrior, defender of justice" and added "could this be a calling for you?". While thanking Ms Holladay she also acknowledged the public's help, support and financial donations. Almost $50,000 was raised. 'I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me and now continue to fight for justice served," Ms Ward continued. 'Everyone should have the opportunity to prove their innocence. I love you so much my warrior, my defender, my sister, my anam cara. There is truly no one in the world like you and I am truly blessed. Ms Ward claimed that those who are being detained by ICE "are not informed on how to get out and they are so afraid to speak up for the basic human how to find council (sic) or interpreter services..." 'They (officials) give them detention handbooks in English and Spanish only. All done on purpose to keep them detained and deportable.' Ms Holladay, who is now looking after her sister following her release from jail, said Cliona "will reach out to all of you soon". "She is recovering from dental surgery and needs some time to heal both physically and emotionally," she added.
BreakingNews.ie
26-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Irish woman who was detained in the US thanks her sister for her 'warrior' like support
Cliona Ward, who was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for almost three weeks after returning from a visit to Ireland, has called her sister's efforts to get her out of jail as 'warrior'like. Cliona Ward, 54, a green-card holder, who has been living legally there for around 30 years, first ran into legal trouble in March after arriving back in the US from a trip to Ireland to visit her ill father in Youghal, Co Cork. Advertisement Ms Ward, whose green card is valid until 2033, was detained and questioned by customs at the San Francisco airport on March 19th over her past criminal record. She was facing deportation by immigration officials. Her prior criminal record includes six cases - two felonies for possession of drugs in December 2007 and January 2008, and four misdemeanours. She and her sister Orla Holladay, who also lives in the US, claimed her convictions were expunged, prompting customs to temporarily release her to obtain the appropriate documentation to prove that her records had been cleared in California. Advertisement When she went to plead her case at San Francisco airport to customs on April 21st and present proof of her expungement, she was detained again and told to argue her case in front of an immigration judge. The expungement had been carried out at a state not federal level. Ms Ward was released by a court in Seattle on May 7th after her original convictions were formally vacated so that they would be recognised at a federal level. Her case has garnered huge media attention both here and in the US. Advertisement In her first comments since her release, on the gofundme page, Cliona's Hope: A Mother's Fight for Freedom Ms Ward called her sister, 'My warrior, defender of justice. Could this be a calling for you?' While thanking Ms Holladay she also acknowledged the public's help, support and financial donations. Almost $50,000 was raised. 'I cannot thank you enough for what you did for me and now continue to fight for justice served,' Ms Ward continued. 'Everyone should have the opportunity to prove their innocence. I love you so much my warrior, my defender, my sister, my anam cara. There is truly no one in the world like you, and I am truly blessed!' Advertisement Ms Ward claimed that those who are being detained by ICE 'are not informed on how to get out, and they are so afraid to speak up for the basic human how to find council or interpreter services... 'They(officials) give them detention handbooks in English and Spanish only. All done on purpose to keep them detained and deportable.' Ms Holladay who is now looking after her sister following the release of her sister from jail revealed that 'Life is not normal for us. Cliona is in (suffering from) PTSD. She spent the night vomiting , purging the food she had been fed and because they don't ever turn the lights off in the detention center (and) when she closes her eyes all she sees is fluorescent lights.' Democrat California Congressman Jimmy Panetta lent his support for her release. He tweeted on X: 'Cliona Ward is released and that's what happens when we fight for transparency, due process and justice. We worked this case from Santa Cruz to DC…and from Seattle to Ireland'.
RTÉ News
12-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Why are many Irish people rethinking travel plans to the US?
Something quietly significant is happening: Irish travel to the United States has dropped sharply in 2025. This is not due to cost or global tensions, but because of a growing discomfort with how the US feels to visit, and what it represents for certain groups. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, undocumented Irish warned about travel in the United States A growing number of Irish travellers — particularly students, professionals and members of minority groups — are rethinking or cancelling trips to the United States because of a growing discomfort with what the US feels like to visit. And this is not just an Irish phenomenon, global travel to the US is down by over 10% in March 2025 alone. The rise of emotional and identity-based risk Irish travellers cite "everything going on" in the US for this change of tack. This includes issues from the increasingly divisive political climate and high-profile acts of gun violence to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and social unrest. What's noteworthy is that these concerns aren't always based on direct threats to physical safety. Instead, they point to a shift in how people define risk. Traditional travel advisories focus on terrorism, crime or health hazards. But today's travellers, particularly younger generations, are expanding the definition. Cultural comfort, value alignment and psychological wellbeing are increasingly central to the decision-making process. From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland, Irish woman living in US, Cliona Ward, detained by US immigration after trip to Ireland This is part of a broader social trend. Research in behavioural psychology points to the availability heuristic: we judge risk not purely by data, but by vivid stories, especially those that resonate with our identity. A viral TikTok video about an Irish traveller being interrogated by US immigration can carry more weight than official safety ratings. When those stories layer onto existing anxieties about political tensions, gun violence, or discrimination, the sense of risk becomes magnified. The border as a barrier What used to be a straightforward trip has become a source of anxiety for some. According to a recent report in the Irish Examiner, Irish citizens are now more frequently being subjected to secondary screening, denied entry or asked to unlock their phones and show social media activity at the border. Travel industry professionals are seeing a ripple effect with cancelled group bookings, diverted conferences and a general unease about what once was a routine destination. In these cases, the threat isn't violence, but rather humiliation, scrutiny or exclusion. For many, that's a powerful deterrent to travel. From DW, are foreign tourists afraid to visit Trump's United States? When safety becomes a values statement Increasingly, travel choices are being driven by alignment with values. A recent BBC feature noted how tourists are actively avoiding destinations or US states they view as politically or socially regressive. For some, skipping a trip isn't just a safety decision, but is a quiet act of protest. This adds a new layer to the travel experience: the emotional tax. This is the invisible cognitive load of constantly checking whether a state has anti-trans laws, or whether an area is known for hostility toward foreigners. Even when physical danger is low, the emotional energy required to navigate the environment can be too high to justify the trip. A new definition of travel risk All of this signals that travel risk is not just about avoiding injury or illness, but is about preserving dignity, identity and peace of mind. This reframing is pushing innovation in the travel and security sectors, including here in Ireland. From France 24, how US tourism is being affected by Trump's policies At DCU, a project called Kowroo, developed at the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics with support from Enterprise Ireland's Commercialisation Fund, is reimagining how travellers assess safety. Rather than issuing blanket risk ratings, Kowroo offers real-time, personalised risk assessments based on who the traveller is, where they are, and what's happening around them, from the time of day to nearby incidents. It's an attempt to bridge the gap between actual safety and perceived safety, a distinction that is now central to modern travel decisions. Much like how Google Maps transformed navigation by focusing on lived experience rather than static directions, Kowroo is trying to do the same for safety. The new travel risk equation The decline in US-bound travel among Irish citizens is part of a larger truth as we're witnessing a generational shift in how risk is understood and managed. It's no longer just about avoiding harm, but it's about feeling safe, being respected, and having control over how one moves through the world. For the Irish student reconsidering a J1, the executive skipping a San Francisco conference or the LGBTQ+ traveller choosing Lisbon over Miami, the choice is deeply personal. In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable, the most powerful form of risk management is perhaps learning to trust your instincts, even if that means staying closer to home.
